Northern California Traveler – May 2006 HISTORY… High Rock Massacre… It’s called the Last Indian War With the helping hand of former Modoc National Forest Supervisor Fred Cronemiller this article was among the manuscripts written by the WPA Writers Project of the 1930’s. When Bertrand Indiano, a Basque sheepherder, rode out of the sheep camp of the Humphrey-Cambron Cattle Company that morning in January 1911 he never thought he would wind up being bait for a trap that would cost the lives of four men, including himself – and be the start of the last Indian War in the West. He was riding up Little High Rock Canyon, across the border into Nevada when he ran across the carcass of a freshly butchered steer. Foot prints in the snow, the fresh blood of the animal, warned Betrand that rustlers were not far distant. Retreat was far better strategy than heroism, and besides he didn’t have a gun with him. He slowly made his way back down the canyon, sensing that eyes were watching him all the way. Back at the ranch house he found one of the owners, Harry Cambron, and two other sheepherders, John Lazague and Peter Erramouspe, both Basques. He told the story of his find and while it was generally supposed the steer has been killed by some wandering cowhand, or a settler who needed meat, it was decided to investigate further. The next morning the four men rode back up the canyon, Indiano wanted to follow the rimrock but Cambron overruled him. He said it would be too hard on the horses to buck the drifts. For some reasons one of the Basque were armed and the rancher carried only a revolver. They found the dead animal and started to dismount when the air was rent by war cries and several Indians leaped out of the willows firing at the men. The three sheepherders were killed immediately. Cambron managed to get out his gun and shoot one of the Indians before he was struck in the elbow and again in the head by bullets. He fell dead by the trail. It was later divulged that he Indians could have killed Indiano but had held off, knowing he would return with other men. The trap had been set deliberately and had worked flawlessly. It seemed that the four men would have been discovered missing sooner, but due to the vastness of the country, a lack of communications, and the fact that they often were gone for long stretches of time looking after cattle and sheep, more than two weeks passed before friends and relatives started to fee an uneasiness. It was known that they had planned to move some sheep and it often took two weeks to make such a move. Thinking that they may have run into some difficulty after three weeks has passed Warren Fruits, a cowboy, and Mr. Bryant rode up to the line camp. Failing to find any sign of them there they road up the canyon, happening by chance, upon the scene of the massacre. They saw the remnants of the steer, some clothing caught in the brush and signs of blood. Further examination disclosed the bodies of the men in a dense growth of willows in the dry creek bed. They hurried back to the nearest ranch, a sheep camp operated by Humphery-Cambron Company and there they fond Charles Demick, the area manager for the Miller and Lux Ranches, and Sid Street, an Eagleville rancher. All four men left post haste for the nearest civilization, to report the news, the Modoc County town of Eagleville, California. Preparations were made to bring out the bodies. A posse rode forth and was able to get a four-horse team and wagon to within a mile and a half of the scene. The men then went in and cut timber to make a travois (a primitive vehicle used by Indians consisting of two trailing poles serving as shafts and a platform or net for the load). (Picture – Recovering bodies at the High Rock Massacre) Because of the sub zero weather the bodies had been frozen together and they had a great difficulty in getting them apart. The posse was composed of mixed group of Californias and Nevadans including Sheriff Elzie Smith of Modoc County; Henry Hughes; William Parson; Ed Hogle; George Holmes; Joe Reeder; Jack Ferguson; Ben F. Cambron, brother of the murdered man; Warren Firts; Mort West; Frank Perry; O. D. VanNorman; Sid Street; Fred Hill; Gilbert Jackson; James Baty, from Nevada; Sheriff Ferrill of Washoe County; Captain Donnelley of the Nevada State Police and three of his men, Neward, Stone and Duck. It seemed unusual that with two sheriffs and a State Police Captain along that Demick would be chosen as leader. At first Indians were not suspected as there had no been trouble with the Piautes for many years, and also because none had been seen in the area for quite some time. It was though that the killings had been the result of a fight with a band of rustlers. However, after inspecting the scene carefully the men found some shoes, arrows and other evidence that Indians had been the killers. One of the most damaging pieces of evidence was the remains of brush wickiup near the scene. On a rock overlooking the wickiup were signs someone laid there acting as a lookout while being covered with bark and brush as a protection against the cold. Trails lead off in two directions. One went down the canyon and the other over the top and eastwards. In order to follow both trails the posse broke into two segments with Jim Baty and Charles Demick taking the high trail and the others following the canyon. It was later discovered that the squaws and children had gone in one direction and the braves in the other. The two groups met later at High Rock Lake where they camped together for the night. The Posse trailed them up Willow Creek Canyon and found the place where they had made camp overlooking the Black Rock Desert. At this spot the tribesmen began to fan out either singularly or in small groups, and it made tracking very difficult. They cross the desert and camped near Hardin City, Nevada. The next day they went over the Jackson Mountains. Not only was this very difficult terrain to traverse but the weather conditions made it almost impossible. The nights would put a crust on the snow but by mid-afternoon this would melt and the horses plunged through and often cut their legs on the still frozen segments. One mule was loaded with ammunition was carefully watched for it was feared the Indians might make a sudden attack and spook the animal, leaving the men nearly defenseless. Demick said that he kept a careful eye on the animal and was prepared to shoot it if this occurred. On and on they went and finally camped in a place called Paradise Valley, about 30 miles north of Winnemucca. Here four men left the party. James Baty, Gil Jackson, Fred Hill and Sid Street pulled out as their horses had given out and Charles Demick left because of pressing business back home. The posse continued on to Golconda where they set up headquarters. Scouts were sent out to look for signs of the marauders and soon brought back word they were camped in the Kelly Creek area. At eight in the evening of February 25 (1911), nine days and some 200 miles after leaving the scene of the massacre, the posse rode out to catch up with the scouting party. They met at noon and the next day at Rabbit Creek, about seven miles from Kelly Creek and about 30 miles northeast of Golconda. In the distance they could see campfire smoke and noted horses tethered nearby. A attempt was made to creep up on the camp but they were seen by a squaw brining water from a spring. She ran screaming back to the camp to alarm the others. In was later learned that Shoshone Mike, the leader of the band, had posted guards at various places around the camp but the posse had slipped by them. It was just by chance that they had encountered the squaw. Incidentally, Shoshone Mike was not a Shoshone, he was an Apache renegade who had come to Oregon and thence down into Nevada and Modoc County in California. As soon as the squaw gave the alarm three Indian bucks ran out to gather up the hoses. The white men rode to cut them off and they retreated to the camp and reappeared with guns. Modoc County Sheriff Smith had taken control of the posse even though they were in Nevada. He requested Skinny Pascal, an Indian Scout, to speak to the tribe and tell them that no harm would come to them. He did as asked and returned to report "Boys, they no quit. Shoot quick." Immediately thereafter a shot rang out, the posse took cover in the rocks and the battle was on. Three Indians were killed in the first volley, one of whom was Shoshone Mike. Three Indians attempted to provide covering fire while the rest escaped up a canyon. Captain Donnelley shouted not to harm the women and children. He shouted this so loud that the squaws heard it and took advantage of this order in a strange way. They stood before their men so protect them from the posse’s fire. When it was seen they might make a retreat into the canyon some of the pursuers moved to cut them off and soon the entire tribe was surrounded. As the circle narrowed a buck jumped up from behind a squaw and fired at Ed Hogle. He staggered back, cried "I’m shot," walked about 10 feet and fell to the ground. The Indian was dropped where he stood. He was later found to be carrying the pistol owned by Harry Cambron. The Indians then made a run for it and managed to break though the cordon but were trapped on a hill about a mile distant where the rest of the warriors were killed. O. D. Van Norman and George Homes captured a squaw who Van Norman said was the hardest fighting female he ever encountered. She was 15 years old. After she was quieted down she gave an account of most of what had happened. A thirteen-year old boy also fought like a demon to escape capture and then tried to beat his brains out against a saddle. Eight Indians were buried on he battle site and the others were shipped back to the reservation. Pascal talked tot he squaw and she told him the following story: When they left the reservation they raided a Miller and Lux Ranch, killed a Chinese cook and stole some horses. When they saw Indiano in Little High Rock Canyon they thought he was a law officer and when he returned they were certain of this and so hey ambushed the party. They had fired their last shot in killing Ed Hogle. When the bodies were searched they found Cambron’s checkbook and $30 cash on Shoshone Mike and Eramouspe’s upper lip and mustache, along with Chinese queqe in the belt of the captured squaw. When the posse returned to Eagleville they fond out that the State of Nevada has posted a $5000 reward to which the Humphry-Cambron Cattle Company had added $1,000 and the residents of Surprise Valley had added another $500. As the Nevada officers were not legally allowed to share in the reward it was going to be divided up among the 11 civilians on the posse. The final climax came when Sheriff Smith managed to get himself appointed as collector of the reward money. Then came word that the State of Nevada refused to pay the reward and were instead going to charge the posse members with murder. As foolish as this might have seemed there was some belief in I and it supposedly caused Sheriff smith to make several trips to Reno before it was settled. Smith then charged the other posse members $1,500 for his time and expenses. That was the end of the Last Indian War In the West, fought by men of Modoc County in the desert of Nevada. ~~~~~~ Billie C. & Anita 'Jean' Reynolds Family Researcher of "The Last Frontier" Modoc County, California --- Our outgoing mail is checked by ZoneAlarm AntiVirus.